Wave Definition

wāv

waved, waves, waving

verb

waved, waves, waving

To move up and down or back and forth in a curving or undulating motion; swing, sway, or flutter to and fro.

Flags waving in the breeze.

Webster's New World

To cause to wave, undulate, or sway to and fro.

Webster's New World

To make a signal with an up-and-down or back-and-forth movement of the hand or an object held in the hand.

Waved as she drove by.

American Heritage

To swing or brandish (a weapon)

Webster's New World

To signal (something) by doing this.

To wave farewell.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

noun

waves

A ridge or swell moving along the surface of a liquid or body of water as a result of disturbance, as by wind.

Webster's New World

A small ridge or swell moving across the interface of two fluids and dependent on surface tension.

American Heritage

An undulation or series of undulations in or on a surface, such as that caused by wind over a field of grain.

Webster's New World

A curve or series of curves or curls, as in the hair.

Webster's New World

An appearance of undulation, by reflection of light, on watered fabric.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

idiom

make waves

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Wave

Singular:

wave

Plural:

From Middle English *wave, wawe, waghe (“wave"), partially from waven (“to fluctuate, wave") (see above) and partially from Old English wÇ£g (“a wave, billow, motion, water, flood, sea"), from Proto-Germanic *wÄ“gaz (“motion, storm, wave"), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵhe- (“to drag, carry"). Cognate with North Frisian weage (“wave, flood, sea"), German Woge (“wave"), French vague (“wave") (from Germanic), Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌲𐍃 (wÄ“gs, “a wave"). See also waw.

From Wiktionary
From Middle English waven, from Old English wafian (“to wave, fluctuate, waver in mind, wonder"), from Proto-Germanic *wabōnÄ…, *wabjanÄ… (“to wander, sway"), from Proto-Indo-European *webh- (“to move to and from, wander"). Cognate with Middle High German waben (“to wave"), Icelandic váfa (“to fluctuate, waver, doubt"). See also waver.

From Wiktionary
Middle English waven from Old English wafian webh- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From W(omen) A(ccepted for) V(olunteer) E(mergency Service)

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
See waive.

From Wiktionary